Structures such as gazebos and pavilions as used in parks, yards and gardens are increasingly being provided with a fabric roof because of improvements in the composition and characteristics of fabric materials used in such applications. The fabric is positioned on and secured to support elements such as roof beams or rafters. The fabric roof is typically maintained in a tightly stretched condition to prevent damage to the fabric such as by wind, rain, ice and snow and to securely maintain it in position on the upper portion of the structure or shelter. Because fabric materials generally stretch over time when maintained taut by an applied stretching force, the tension applied to the fabric material typically is reduced over time. For a fabric roof, this can result in damage such as by tearing by any one of the aforementioned natural forces or by detachment of the fabric roof from its support structure.
There are currently a number of different approaches for securing a fabric roof to a structure and maintaining it in position thereon. One approach involves the use of hand-pulled cables attached to various points located above or within the periphery of the fabric roof for tightly pulling the fabric over an upper portion of the support structure. Once stretched over the support structure, the fabric roof is maintained in position on the support structure by eyes or fingers connecting the cables to the support structure. Another approach employs a cable or rope attached to and disposed about the periphery of the fabric roof which is positioned on an upper portion of the support structure. A turnbuckle connects opposed ends of the cable, or plural turnbuckles couple adjacent ends of plural segments of the cable, for pulling the cable, or cable segments, tightly about the periphery of the support structure. The tension applied to the cable, or cable segments, and thus to the periphery of the fabric roof, maintain it securely in position on the support structure. In these types of approaches, the cable clamps or turnbuckles are disposed immediately adjacent to or within a peripheral portion of the fabric roof rendering the tightening of the cable(s) difficult and time consuming. In addition, the fabric tends to stretch and loosen over time resulting in a loss of tension applied to the fabric roof increasing the likelihood of damage to or loss of the fabric roof.
The present invention addresses the aforementioned limitations of the prior art by providing a structure, or shelter, having telescoping roof beams, each of which is connected at its outer end to a cable attached to the periphery of a fabric roof. The telescoping ends of the roof beams may be extended outwardly or retracted inwardly by merely turning a screw to adjust the tension applied to the stretched fabric roof. The stretching force applied to the fabric roof is uniform about its periphery and the connection between the telescoping ends of the roof beams and the fabric roof's peripheral cable prevents loss of tension in the stretched fabric roof.